Patrick Wyrick

President Trump nominated Patrick Wyrick to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma on April 10, 2018. Wyrick is anti-choice.

Career1

. Bachelor of Arts, , 2004 . Juris Doctorate, University of Oklahoma College of Law, 2007 . Law Clerk, Hon. James H. Payne, U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma, 2007-2008 . Associate Attorney, GableGotwals, 2008-2011 . Solicitor General, Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General, 2011-2017 . Justice, , 2017-present

Record on Choice-Related Issues

Court Cases

 Wyrick defended two Oklahoma laws that required physicians providing medication abortion to use an outdated method that is less safe and less effective than the current standard of care.2 It also required women to take three times more medication than is recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.3 The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the law and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Wyrick’s appeal. o In defending the law, Wyrick stated that Oklahoma’s Constitution does not include that right [to abortion].”4 He also called the requirements of the law “reasonable” and claimed that, “sometimes healthy young women die” because of off-label use of medication-abortion drugs.5 In fact, medication abortion is extremely safe. o Wyrick also spoke about the case at a event, saying that it “could become one of the highest-profile cases” of the next year.6 o Charmaine Yoest, then-president of Americans United for Life, praised Wyrick’s work on the case. She said, “Women deserve better than to be exploited by Big Abortion's dangerous, 'off-label' use of abortion-inducing drugs. We applaud efforts by the Oklahoma Solicitor General to protect women.”7

 Wyrick filed a brief in a similar case in support of an Arizona law that allowed the state to interfere with the practice of medication abortion in Humble v. Planned Parenthood of Arizona.8

 Wyrick defended an Oklahoma law that restricted young women’s access to emergency contraception by requiring them to obtain a prescription to purchase Plan B, despite the fact that the medication is approved by the FDA for purchase over-the- counter without an age restriction.9 He referred to the law as “a matter of legislative necessity.”10

 Wyrick defended an Oklahoma law that required women to undergo an ultrasound before receiving abortion care, even if not medically necessary and against her will.11 When the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the law, Wyrick asked the U.S. Supreme Court to step in, which they declined.

 Wyrick filed a brief in opposition to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive-coverage policy, the greatest advancement in reproductive healthcare in a generation, in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores.12 The brief referred to the policy and its implementation as “coercive federal infringement on religious practice.”13

Notable Information

 Wyrick is included on President Trump’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees; Trump threatened repeatedly to use such appointments as opportunities to nominate individuals who will overturn Roe v. Wade. Presumably, those on this list, including Wyrick, passed this unprecedented litmus test. o After Wyrick and four others were added to the list in late 2017, anti-choice groups praised the additions: . Concerned Women for America President Penny Nance said, “[Trump’s] selections have been spot on at every level, and we are so thankful to him for delivering for the American people in such a crucial area… The thousands of women I represent applaud President Trump on this announcement and will continue to support him in the selection of constitutional judges who respect their limited roles as jurists and not legislators.”14 . Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said, “These five judges are exceptionally qualified and any one of them would make an outstanding Supreme Court justice. President Trump set a high standard with Justice Neil Gorsuch and continues to impress with his excellent list of nominees for future vacancies. President Trump continues to nominate only judges who are loyal to the Constitution, not to an activist pro-abortion agenda.”15

 Wyrick is a member of the conservative, anti-choice Federalist Society. He was president of the chapter in 2016.16

 Wyrick was appointed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2011 by anti-choice then- Attorney General .17

 In his personal capacity, Wyrick volunteered for the campaign of anti-choice then- Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK).18

Record on Other Key Issues

 Wyrick is a strong opponent of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Wyrick represented the state of Oklahoma in its challenge to various provisions of the ACA,19 and filed an amicus brief in another case challenging the ACA.20

 Wyrick defended Oklahoma’s lethal injection protocol, which has been described as “equivalent to being burned alive,”21 before the Supreme Court.22

May 16, 2018

1 Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Patrick Robert Wyrick, COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY, https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Wyrick%20SJQ.pdf 2 Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice v. Cline, 368 P.3d 1278 (Okla. 2016); Cline v. Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice, 313 P.3d 253 (Okla. 2013) 3 Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice v. Cline, CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, https://www.reproductiverights.org/case/oklahoma-coalition-for-reproductive-justice-v-cline (last visited May 15, 2018) 4 Ken Miller, Judge hears arguments in Okla. abortion drug law, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (April 19, 2012) 5 Ibid. 6 Wayne Green, High court rulings on state cases loom large, (July 23, 2013) 7 AUL Commends Oklahoma Solicitor General’s Efforts to Protect Women from Dangerous Practices of Big Abortion, AMERICANS UNITED FOR LIFE (March 7, 2013), http://www.aul.org/blog/aul-commends-oklahoma- solicitor-generals-efforts-to-protect-women-from-dangerous-practices-of-big-abortion/ 8 Amicus Curiae Brief of Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Carolina, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Michigan, and in Support of Petitioner, Humble v. Planned Parenthood of Arizona (U.S. 2014) 9 Marie Price, Oklahoma County District judge strikes down Plan B age restriction, JOURNAL RECORD LEGISLATIVE REPORT (Jan. 23, 2014) 10 Judge blocks Okla. morning-after pill restrictions, THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE (Aug. 20, 2013) 11 Marie Price, Reproductive Rights Center joins U.S. Justice Department’s defend of ACA’s contraception provision, Journal Record Legislative Report (March 26, 2013) 12 Brief of the State of Oklahoma as Amicus Curiae in Support of Respondents, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores (U.S. 2015)

13 Brief of the State of Oklahoma as Amicus Curiae in Support of Respondents at 3, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores (U.S. 2015) 14 President Trump Delivering on Judges, CONCERNED WOMEN FOR AMERICA (Nov. 17, 2017), http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1110014335848&ca=afb1a047-10d2-4bf2-839b- ec07440290a1 15 SBA List Praises President Trump’s Expanded Supreme Court List, SUSAN B. ANTHONY LIST (Nov. 17, 2017), https://www.sba-list.org/newsroom/press-releases/sba-list-praises-president-trumps-expanded- supreme-court-list 16 Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Patrick Robert Wyrick, UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY, https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Wyrick%20SJQ.pdf 17 Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Patrick Robert Wyrick, UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY, https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Wyrick%20SJQ.pdf 18 Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Patrick Robert Wyrick, UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY, https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Wyrick%20SJQ.pdf 19 Oklahoma v. Sebelius, 2013 WL 4052610 (E.D. Okla. 2013) 20 Brief of the States of Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, and West Virginia and Consumers Research as Amicus Curiae Supporting Petitioners, King v. Burwell (U.S. 2015) 21 Adam Liptak, Supreme Court Allows Use of Execution Drug, NEW YORK TIMES (June 29, 2015), https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/30/us/supreme-court-execution-drug.html 22 Glossip v. Gross (U.S. 2015)